An raibh a fhios agat?  Did you know?

Relics of St. Valentine are held in Whitefriar Street Church in South Dublin. This rather unimposing church, at least from an external inspection, holds the relics in perpetuity contained as they are in a small casket to the right of the nave. The fact that there were apparently three St. Valentines' according to Murphy (2007) casts some doubt on the authenticity of the remains in White friars he suggests.

The feast of St.Brigid is just upon us as we welcome the advent of spring. Imbolg, as it’s also called is still remembered with great reference particularly by older generations who still hold her in great esteem. Within the pantheon of Irish saints she ranks only second to St. Patrick. Born in the area of Faughart in County Louth in 450 AD approx. she would go on to devote her life to God and answering the needs of the poor.

This is a brief overview of St. Patrick’s Cathedral which is situated in the Old Quarter of Dublin. We will look briefly at its beginnings; the people involved in its creation, and at the many illustrious and not so illustrious people who have left their mark not just on the cathedral but also on Irish history and indeed on world history. If as the old saying goes that ‘History is written by the victors’, then St. Patrick’s might perhaps best exemplify that although it’s near neighbour Christ Church might also have something to say about that.

A visit to Wicklow is always memorable. The “Garden of Ireland” as it’s also known is always inviting, its colours, contours and mountains leave an admirable impression. It has always been an escape route for Dubliners wanting to escape the daily grind of modernity. Being in close proximity to the Big Smoke, Wicklow is always appealing but its beauty is perhaps its greatest appeal. It has of course many other attributes not least of which is its historical connectivity with the story of Ireland. Many of Ireland’s leading protagonists in the field of rebellion came from here; others found fame in the area of pioneering while others still left their eternal footprint in their ecclesiastical endeavours.

The stuff of legend can apply to many things in life. It can evoke memories of childhood fantasies of emulating a great sporting icon for example. If Hurling is your passion that might be memories of Christy Ring lining out in the colours of his native Cork or more recently perhaps DJ Carey of Kilkenny or Nicky English of Tipperary slotting over points to beat the band. If you prefer soccer it might be Bestie (George Best) beating defender after defender until the net bulges and you are left mesmerized but in awe. More recently again it might have been the pride and unadulterated male envy of watching the ladies hockey team reach the promised land of hockey heaven by announcing their arrival at the Hockey World Cup final.

This is the first in a series of articles giving an overview of Ireland’s four recipients of the Nobel Prize for literature. True to form we start with the second winner of that coveted accolade, one George Bernard Shaw. The other recipients were: William Butler Yeats, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney.